# Do body lotions expire?



## yummerz

I have all these body lotions that I purchased yrs ago and never finished using. They all still smell like they did and look fine when poured. My question is, are they safe to use? I see no experiation date on 'em so I'm a little confused here. Btw, they're Victoria's Secret and Bath &amp; Body Works.


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## Aquilah

Good question! They in fact do expire, and homemade lotions don't tend to last as long as commercial lotions. If it's more than 1-2 years old, I'd toss it to be safe...


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## monniej

if the product changes smell or you notice separation of the ingredients you should probably toss it out!


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## magosienne

i tend to toss those things out, even if it smells good, just in case.


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## yummerz

Damn, =( will do so then. Just to be safe. But how about body sprays?


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## ahyee

interesting


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## sheil2009

on most products they have a little icon (a little jar) with the time you should keep it for written inside. My mascara has it on the bottom i dunno about my other stuff though


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## ivette

i always go by what it looks like. if there is a change in color, smell, or consistency-

then by all means toss it in the garbage

moisturizers with spf usually remain good for only a year or two- thats what

i read. but if you see that a product is turning rancid, then definitly toss it

hope this helps


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## Retro-Violet

i tend to go by this:

if it looks weird and/or smells funny, then toss it out.


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## yummerz

Hmmm, see that makes it hard for me because I have some lotions that are over like 3 yrs old and they still look and smell good!! Except for one that I threw out. Now Idk if I should throw out the ones that look perfect just because it's a couple yrs old. What would you guys do? This is expensive stuff, ya know?


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## Jennifer

i agree.


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## firesign

Yeah I'd toss em too!


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## Marisol

I think that it if smells good and the consistency is still the same, then I would think that it is ok.


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## lovesboxers

I would toss it out after 1-2 years. I am sure the chemical makeup of it alters after a while.


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## emily_3383

me too, if it smells weird then toss it.


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## LilDee

yep, ditto


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## anjanasadil

i think it smells good, feels good, looks good, then keep it. regardless of how old it is. i mean heck, if all of the preceding things are good, AND it doens't give you itchy rashy skin, then WHY toss it. i know what an investment such a collection of lotions can be!!!


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## FeverDream

Here's something gross. We have a kind of wierd system of storing products in my house, mainly that we never use bathroom cabinets, so anything that's put in there never really leaves. There's a body lotion from Limited Too that I must have gotten 9 or 10 years ago, and it's still there. Pretty gross. Yeah I guess I could throw it out, but it's doing fine sitting there in its mirrored graveyard, and it's not like anyone looks in there anyway. I wonder if eventually it'll start eating through the plastic. I guess the moral of the story is that it's not a good idea to use lotions after 10 years.


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## rejectstar

If it was me, and the product still looked and smelled fine, I'd keep it. Maybe put a little on the inside of your arm and leave it for 24 hours to test if you really want to be safe. But if it's not giving you any irritations and it hasn't seperated or started to smell funky, then I personally wouldn't worry.


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## dime

Off the subject and on to MaMa Lotion, will be using it tonite after reading your comments and checking out the before &amp; after pictures

thanks a lot


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## jeansguyokc

toss them


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## Marie McTavish

I wanted to reply to this because I was wondering the same thing.  Here is what I would do.  If I had a product that was 2-3 years old roughly, I would use the product in small amounts.  Maybe choose only one area on my face.  If the smell irritates me or I get a head ache or my skin irritates me, discontinue the use. If it is fine use it everyday for about a week and then see.  If it is fine by then maybe mark a date on it (like good for 4-6months from the date you last tested).  The face is more fragile than the rest of your body and will react faster, Your not going to die if you use it.  For people that have products for ten years and longer. Make sure it has never been opened.  Be  very careful, nail polish lasts a long time but if it sits unopened forever it is unsafe to use.  Everything is mostly made out of chemicals.  Alcohol kills bacteria.  Other natural products oils and extracts added usually last forever but use your discretion. * If you have sensitive skin then be very wise and chose not to use procducts for up to three years or even less*  

I have normal skin and bought a brand new body butter from Walmart.  I used it and would have problems breathing and my skin would itch.  I stopped using it and it was brand new.

Hope this helps you all  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> Sorry to those who bought expensive products.  Maybe ix it with paint and do some art.  Or spray it on a friend car to make a prank joke.  Take Care


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## NotTheMama

If it hasn't separated or started smelling funny, I'd keep it. I have a lotion from a few years ago that I'm using now and it's fine, no irritation or anything. I threw out another one from the same time frame because it was runny &amp; smelled off. As long as it was stored properly (in a cool dark place) I think it's fine.


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